Lydia sat on her bed clutching her knees to her chest. She'd just gotten home after the worst night of her life. She'd taken a shower and was now sitting alone in her room wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt with her long wet hair soaking her shirt. She didn't even care.
"It's my fault... I tried my best. I couldn't save her." A single tear fell down Lydia's face as the words came out of her mouth. Her hands were balled into fists, clutching her pants on her knees. She heard a knock on her door and wiped the tears from her face as she stood up and composed herself.
"Yeah?" Her voice was weak and broken. Her mother opened the door.
"Stiles is here to see you?" Suddenly Stiles appeared in the doorway, he looked like he hadn't slept in a week.
"Come in." She said, her voice weak.
Stiles took a few steps in and Lydia walked to him, grabbing him for a hug. He had one hand on the wet hair on her neck, and the other on the small of her back. She buried her face in his chest as she collapsed into a pool of her own tears.
"I'll leave you two alone." Ms. Martin said, closing the door. Stiles and Lydia stood there for a few moments. Lydia backed away from him and sat down on her bed. She had tears smudged all around her eyes, and her nose was red. He sat down next to her. She just kept staring straight ahead, at a picture of her and Allison on the wall.
"Lydia, I'm sorry."
"Why? I was the one who couldn't save her... I tried..."
"We wouldn't be in this mess if... If I..."
"Stiles, it's not your fault, okay? There's literally two of you, and you're not responsible for what the other does, so stop blaming yourself."
"It's not your fault either." Lydia finally turned to him, straight faced, staring him right in the eyes.
"Yes it is. I warned her not to come. I tried to but she came anyway. I tried to warn her but I failed." Lydia said, her voice high pitched and weak.
"Ly-"
"But it doesn't matter now... because she's gone. Allison is dead and there's nothing we can do about it." Another single tear streamed down Lydia's face.
"At least she died a hero. She was protecting her friends. She was always protecting someone. It was her family's code."
"It was her code... Her family's code used to be "We hunt those who hunt us." but she changed it. Not her dad... her. To "We protect those who cannot protect themselves."... It was her code... her anchor..."
"I want to help you, Lydia, but I can't..."
"You can try."
"Tell me what to do... what I can do to help you."
"Just be here, Stiles. Just be here with me. Just hold me, let me cry... just be here." Lydia's volume raised as she kept talking. She started crying again. Stiles hugged her again, wrapping his arms totally around her. She once again buried her face in his chest, tears streaming down her face. Stiles let out a deep sigh as a tear rolled down his face... for Allison. Lydia backed away from Stiles.
"It's getting late. You should probably go."
"Lydia, I'm not leaving you."
"Stiles, go."
"No. You told me to be here. I'm staying. I told my dad I'm staying at Scott's tonight, and your mom didn't seem to care that I'm here so late..."
"Fine. Stay."
Lydia stood up and walked around her bed. She pulled back her blankets and climbed in and then sat there staring at Stiles, who was still sitting on the edge.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Aren't you going to lay with me?"
Stiles took off his shoes and pulled back the blankets on the other side and climbed in, next to Lydia. She laid on her side and he laid with her, his arms around her the entire night. She was on the edge of the bed and he was in the middle. When he woke up he was laying on his back and she was next to him with her arm on his stomach. He looked over at her. She was sleeping so peacefully, but he had to get home to take a shower and change. He snuck out of the bed and started putting on his shoes. He grabbed his keys and opened her bedroom door. Just when he was walking out he heard her waking up.
"Stiles?"
He turned around and looked at her. Her hair was a mess and she was half asleep.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for staying."